Holding Hands
by MsLane
Summary: After returning home from Neverland, with Henry safe and sound, things go back to the regular swing of things for our Storybrooke occupants. "The sound of whooshing airplanes and foreign languages is all she can hear as she walks into her house. The overture builds into a final crescendo accompanied by whirls, crashing waves and thunder." Pre-SwanQueen x


The sound of whooshing airplanes and foreign languages is all she can hear as she walks into her house. The overture builds into a final crescendo accompanied by whirls, crashing waves and thunder.

Regain raises an eyebrow as she walks further into the house and towards what Henry lovingly dubbed the home theater. Just as she steps within the room she sees her son with his eyes glued to the screen along with his blonde mother beside him, just as engrossed in the movie as Henry is.

"My, my, isn't this quite a sight to come home to."

Both parties whip their heads around in her direction and Henry is quick to pause the movie, "Hi mom! Emma said we should wait but I couldn't any longer and it hasn't been that long we'll restart it and everything so you can join us!"

Everything comes out in one breath and both Emma and Regina look at him fondly before glancing at each other, "Kid's been like this since this morning when I picked him up to take him for breakfast, and he hasn't stopped until the movie started. I still can't believe he's never seen _Atlantis: The Lost Empire_."

Regina chuckles, "And I suppose you've eaten?" She purposely doesn't direct the question to just Henry, wanting to make sure the blonde has eaten as well, though why she does that she isn't ready to justify or acknowledge yet.

Emma nods her head, "Yeah, I made sure he did, and I made sure he also washed and brushed before the movie was even taken out of the DVD case."

Regina nods, "Okay, thank you." She sees her son almost rocketing out of his chair he's wriggling so much, and so she grins at him as she says, "May I at least be allowed to change my clothes before we start the movie Henry?"

The boy gives her a sheepish grin, "Yes mom, sorry. We'll wait."

Emma gives her her own grin, "Don't worry, I'll make sure we do actually wait."

The brunettes shake their heads and Regina throws a smirk over her shoulder on her way out towards the blonde.

"Where are you going?" Henry asks when he sees Emma stand up the minute his mom leaves the room.

Emma tilts her head, "To get your mother something to eat really quick. I bet you she hasn't eaten anything all day except for her coffee."

The boy nods his head as he settles back down. Emma makes her way to the kitchen and just stands there with her hands on her waist. She's no Regina, which explains why everyone seems to like teasing her about her kitchen skills, but over the years she's picked up a little bit of this and that to keep her from starving, nothing spectacular, but enough so she isn't about to die of hunger.

She tilts her head as she sees the bread in the bread box as an idea hits her. She knows she's safe no matter what she ends up making because she'll be using ingredients Regina obviously approves of.

She grabs the bread and a plate before going to the fridge and pulling out the smoked turkey slices, Dijon mustard, medium cheddar cheese and light mayonnaise. She sets them all down on the counter before going back to the fridge and taking out the Boston lettuce and picking two leaves before putting it back.

She quickly constructs the sandwich for the brunette. A thin layer of mayo, followed by the turkey, after which she puts a hint of mustard, covered by a slice of cheese, then topped with a crisp leaf, and sealed with the second piece of bread which is lightly layed with mayo as well.

She carefully cuts the sandwich diagonally across and delicately places the halves onto the plate with a napkin. Emma then runs to the fridge and grabs the pitcher of ice tea she made earlier.

"Well, isn't someone being overly familiar again."

Emma jumps in surprise and nearly sloshes the tea onto her as she turns to face the mayor, "You couldn't resist huh?"

Regina just smiles at her innocently and raises an eyebrow at her.

The blonde clears her throat as she walks towards the counter and place the pitcher there before leaning up towards the overhead cupboard to grab a glass, but before she can say anything Regina speaks, "I thought you said you had eaten? Or were you suddenly struck with a case of the munchies?"

Emma rolls her eyes as she pours the tea and replaces it in the refrigerator, "Actually, uh this is for you."

She stands in front of the fridge for a beat longer than necessary before turning to face the brunette who has yet to say anything.

The brunette's eyes are wide and she's looking at Emma like she just told her she's a member of an ABBA tribute act.

"You…made me dinner."

Emma nods her head as she walks closer to the brunette, her eyes not leaving Regina's as she nods her head, "Yes." She blinks at then grins as she shrugs, "I mean, I'm definitely no Michelin star chef or anything, and it's not like this is going to be winning any awards or whatever…but I mean-"

Regina shakes her head as she heart flutters beautifully in her chest, "No, I suppose not dear, but," she pauses and takes the tiniest of steps closer to the blonde, "thank you. It was very thoughtful of you Emma."

The taller of the two smiles at her honestly, "You're welcome."

They remain standing there for some time, not really keen on breaking whatever spell they've put themselves under, but the moment is ended when Henry yells from the other room, "Are you guys coming?! You're taking _forever_!"

Emma chuckles as she places the plate and glass on a tray and indicates with her head towards the door, "He gets that from you."

Regina hums as she raises an eyebrow as she leads them back into the room Henry's in, "And what does he get from me exactly?"

The blonde grins as she sits down beside the brunette, placing the tray on the coffee table in front of them, "His hyperbolic tendencies."

Regina gapes at her in shock and Emma can't help but laugh lightly as she leans back into the couch and throws an arm behind her head and leans against it, "Go ahead Henry, we're here now."

Regina rolls her eyes at the blonde and simply chooses to ignore her and her previous comment, and instead focuses on her awaiting sandwich. She picks up one half, unable to stop the small smile from making its way to her face when she takes in the diagonally cut sandwich. A fact that Emma doesn't miss, her light eyes taking in every detail of the brunette beside her, unable to really believe that she's really human she's so graceful even when she's doing something as normal as eating a sandwich.

Regina hums low in her throat as she takes in the first taste of the turkey sandwich Emma has made for her. She mentally gives the blonde credit for making it so perfectly balanced. The blonde didn't smother the bread with mayonnaise, didn't over do it with the mustard. There wasn't a ton of cheese, and the turkey was the perfect amount.

Emma grins when she sees Regina's lips upturn into a full smile as she turns to face her, her brown eyes dancing in delight as she delicately wipes the corners of her mouth before speaking, quietly so as not to disturb Henry, "I must say, you didn't butcher this sandwich."

The blonde laughs lightly as she shrugs, her eyes taking in the delight on Regina's face, "That's high praise coming from you Regina."

Regina just smiles at her before returning to the rest of her meal, her eyes now trained on the movie, except for when her eyes wander over the her right, taking in the blonde sitting so relaxed, as if she's never gone a day without being here with them, with _her_, here.

Henry is asleep before the movie even ends, which comes as no surprise to either women as they continue watching the movie, if only to prolong the inevitable parting.

Regina leans back and nurses her ice tea in her hands as she watches Kida and Milo decipher the literal writings on the wall under the water. Emma slightly turns in her place so that she's mostly facing the brunette as she watches her watching the movie, a small smile playing at her own lips as she takes in the brunette before her.

Emma's known about her feelings for a long time, and has done nothing to hide her affections, not since their return from Neverland. She won't do that, not to Regina, because she owes it to herself as well as the brunette to be honest after everything they've been through together.

Regina can feel the blonde's eyes on her and she turns to look at her and raises an eyebrow in question. Emma simply lifts a shoulder up in a half shrug and whispers, "I just haven't been this near you since the Jolly Roger, and you definitely weren't this relaxed on there."

The brunette hums as she takes another sip of her drink, her eyes darting to the screen before looking back at Emma, "It wasn't comfortable on that ship dear, however, this is my home. How can I not be relaxed."

The blonde nods her head in understanding, her eyes twinkling as her grin returns with a hint of mischief, "Even with me here?"

Regina rolls her eyes and decides not to dignify that with a response, which in hindsight, turns out to be a really rather loud response.

Emma leans back further into the couch and scoots down as she stretches out her legs in front of her, letting out a contented sigh.

"Long day?" Regina finds herself asking quietly, looking at the blonde and seeing for the first time how really exhausted she actually looks.

She nods her head, allowing her head to loll to the side so she can look up at the brunette, a lazy smile now adorning her face, "You have _no_ idea."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Regina's eyes widen before quickly snapping her face back to neutral territory. She hadn't really meant to say that. She had been thinking it, but she had not thought to actually voice her question.

Emma knows this and so she shrugs and says, "You don't have to do that Regina."

However the brunette comes to the conclusion that she does in fact really want to know and wants Emma to be able to talk to her about her day and she's willing to hear her out. 'How domestic of me,' she thinks to herself with an eye roll.

"Emma, I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to do just that."

The blonde gives her a look and Regina would have conceded except she really does want Emma to know she does want to listen, so she defiantly stays silent and watches the movie until Emma finally shakes her head and sighs again, "It's just this town."

Regina turns to face Emma as the blonde shrugs again, her eyes finding Regina's easily, "I love this town, I love that I've found my families, I love that I've got this. But it's not enough for-" she trails off, her eyes drift from Regina's towards the screen. Regina watches her, knowing what she's about to say next before Emma herself even knows she's going to say it, "It's not enough for Snow."

The brunette unwittingly draws slightly closer to the blonde as she nods her head for her to continue, "I'm definitely not princess material. I don't do whatever the hell it is Snow used to do back in the Enchanted Forest, the balls and gowns and hair and etiquette…I'm not, that's not who I am."

She's whispering, but Regina can hear her loud and clear as if she's in her head. The blonde continues, her eyes looking back at Regina's once again, "I'm an orphan that found family. I'm an ex-thief. A bounty hunter. I'm a lot of things but a fairytale princess I am not."

Emma shakes her head, her eyes now a brilliantly devastating shade of lost, "I can't be who she wants me to be at the drop of a hat. I'm a grown woman who had to live in this world, who had to grow up knowing there's no such thing as fairytale endings because that's not what the real world is like. And I'm okay with that. I'm okay. But it isn't enough for Snow, or Neil and Hook for that matter."

She rolls her eyes, "Which is something else entirely. And…here they are trying to figure out a way to get everyone to go back to the Enchanted Forest and I'm just thinking like…they didn't even ask if that was something I'd want to do. They didn't even stop to think about whether anyone else actually wanted to go back. I mean, I was there and honestly? I cannot imagine living there without indoor plumbing."

Regina chuckles at this, nodding her head in understanding. She's well aware, as are all the other residents of Storybrooke that Snow and David are both trying to smoothly transition everyone back "home".

Emma sighs as she rubs her face before looking up at Regina again, "And they're expecting a baby." The words barely come out of her mouth, her throat having constricted itself to stop the tears.

Regina's jaw is nearly on the floor. She's shocked and amazed and she can only imagine what Emma must be feeling.

"Yeah, exactly." Emma says in response the Regina's reaction to the news. She chuckles as she wipes at her eyes, "I know like I'm a grown up, I know I didn't give her the whole baby experience, but I mean…I just found them." She takes a breath to try and control her emotions, before shrugging, "I can't hold it against her, the whole wanting a baby thing, but I mean…I didn't even get a chance to really have them to myself at all, not since the curse broke, and now they're having a baby and I'm…I just don't really fit. I don't have a place there because well…I've done my own growing up and Snow…she wants to have that experience and she can get that now."

Regina is still shell shocked and thrown she can't understand how someone so allegedly family oriented can do this to her daughter.

Emma snorts as she wipes at the tears that managed to trickle down her cheek, "I'm sorry Regina…you didn't sign up for this."

The brunette places the glass on the coffee table before delicately laying her hand down atop Emma's lightly, her eyes boring into Emma's now stormy green eyes, "No Emma…don't apologize. If anything I'm sorry I haven't asked you sooner."

The blonde lowers her head and simply watches the way Regina's hand stays comfortingly over her own, her throat bobs as she swallows, "I'm alright you know? It hurts and I mean it's confusing but I'm alright. I'm-"

Regina squeezes her hand and when Emma lifts her eyes to meet her she says, "Alright?"

Emma lets out a breathy chuckle, "Yes, exactly."

The brunette nods her head, "Yes, I'm sure you are dear. It doesn't hurt to be alright with me though, does it?"

Emma pounders the question, knowing there's another question in there somewhere. The blonde shakes her head, "No, no it doesn't hurt to be alright with you at all."

Regina nods, a small smile tugging at her lips, "Especially not if you continue making me sandwiches like the one you did early this evening."

All she hears is melodious light laughter come from Emma, and Regina can honestly say she hasn't heard that sound come from her before, and she'll be damned if she doesn't make it happen again.

"I think I can manage that Regina. After all, you _are_ the one that cooked every meal for Henry and yourself, the least I can do is show my gratitude in some way."

Regina gives her an appreciative smile, "You really don't have to, I know you're thankful, you've said so a number of times already."

The blonde nods, squeezing the brunette's hand this time, "I know, but I don't mind and besides, sandwiches are like the only thing I can make and guarantee that there will be no fires every. single. time."

Regina laughs melodiously and Emma mentally pats herself on the back for a job well done.

"In that case Savior, consider it the only thing you're allowed to make unsupervised."

Emma smiles at her and the two fall into a comfortable silence, broken only by the end credits music and Henry lightly snoring.

The blonde reluctantly lets go of Regina's hand as she slowly lifts herself up into a standing position, "I can take him upstairs to his room if you want?"

Regina smiles at her, raises and eyebrow and then Emma watches her as she does her patented hand gesture and Henry suddenly disappears in a comforting cloud of purple, "No need dear, he's getting heavier with each day he gets taller and you're absolutely exhausted."

Emma nods at her appreciatively, "Probably for the best…wouldn't want any Savior blood to get on the stairs if I trip and stumble over my own two feet. What would the peasants say." She delivers the line in an almost bored fashion and it causes Regina to chuckle as she directs her towards a guest room.

Emma raises an eyebrow to which Regina replies, "Don't think of this as something that's going to turn into a common occurrence dear. It's just, I'd really rather you not crash that death trap of a car on your way home. Because, like you said, what would the peasants say?"

The blonde smiles sleepily at her and sways gently off of the door as she watches Regina retreat, before gently calling out to her, "Hey Regina?"

The woman in question turns to face her, eyes concerned if only slightly, eyebrow raises, "Yes Emma?"

"I…Goodnight." She finally settles on that, however her eyes tell a whole other story, one that Regina is very adept at reading.

"Goodnight Emma."


End file.
